marvel mystery oil

[HoyBoy]

My 8n has been stored in a dry garage with a cement floor for 10 years. I have not even attempted to turn the engine over. I don't want to do any damage. I have read on here before about using marvel mystery oil on stuck engine etc. I was thinking as a precaution, to put some of the marvel oil into each spark plug hole to be sure I have done everything I can to take care of the engine before starting it after all this time. How much should I put in each cylinder and how long should I leave it in there? Also, after it sits with the oil in the cylinders, do I turn it over with the plugs removed to expel the oil or what. I plan to change the oil and filter before I try to start it as well.

 

[R Geiger]

Can't put too much in it, I would let it set for a few days at least. Can you turn the engine over buy hand? Yes I would leave the plugs out and crank it over. I would also prime the oil pump by putting in oil thru the pressure relief spring hole on the front of the engine. good luck!

 

[HoyBoy]

As I said in the original post, I haven't tried. My guess is that it will turn over. but I want to take every precaution so as to not allow any action on my part to do any damage.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Do not attempt to turn the engine over. You could break the rings if they are rusted to the cylinder walls. Pull all plugs, add a cup or more of automatic
transmission fluid (ATF ) or Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) in each cylinder. Pull both valve covers & soak everything w/ MMO or ATF. Scrub it all down w/ a wire
brush. Remove the 15/16 hex nut to the right of the water pump. This is where your oil gallery is for the valves/lifters is. Don't lose the little spring under
the nut. Use an oil squirt can to put about a cup of oil in here. Replace the spring & nut. Then, start looking for mouse/hornet nests in places like the tail
pipe & carb breather hose. Wait at least 2 or 3 days before you do anything, then try & hand crank the engine. (w/o spark plugs) If it does not turn by hand,
repeat everything you just did, i.e., more MMO or ATF. If it still won’t turn by hand, remove the starter (see tip # 36) and use a BF screwdriver or jack handle
on the ring gear teeth to try & turn it over. Once you get it to turn by hand, then change all the fluids (check tips 3 & 4 at the link below for info on the
tranny/pump/rear end fluid change) Fluids include oil & filter, oil in the air cleaner, and 50/50 water & antifreeze. Grease all fittings. Replace the points,
plugs, condenser, rotor & cap. If the wires are cracked & frayed, replace them as well, or you will spend days trying to find that one short. Clean all
connections bright & shiny. Put a couple of tablespoons of oil in each cylinder to help lubricate the cylinder walls & increase start-up compression. Before you
put the valve covers back on, coat everything again w/ oil . Clean the fuel screens in the carb & sediment bowl. Spray the carb good w/ carb cleaner. (Some
people can get a carb to work like this after setting for years. Some people win the lottery. I have never got away w/ an old carb working; plan on a rebuild).
Drain the gas or whatever is in the tank. Add at least two gallons of fresh gas & make sure you have a good flow by removing the bolt at the bottom of the carb.
Keep some starting fluid or propane handy. You will need a new battery; it needs a good battery to power the ignition as well as turn over the starter. Just
before you try to start it, prime the oil pump by removing the 15/16" hex nut again, & use w/ 90w gear oil this time. Spin the starter over (key off) & make
sure you have oil pressure showing on the gauge. Remember, you filled the cylinders w/ oil, so it will smoke a lot when it gets going. Once you get it running,
just let it idle for a few minutes while you check closely for leaks (oil, water, gas) & make sure it has good oil pressure. Then, it should be run at variable
RPM. Internal parts that would normally have a film of oil have gotten dry. Run the engine up to around 1500 RPM and back down, put it in gear and make a few
laps around the yard at various speeds. This will quickly get some heat into the oil and splash oil everywhere it needs to be inside the engine. Continue to
watch for leaks, smoke or other problems (like no brakes).
75 Tips

 

[Ultradog MN]

Bruce,
I have looked at a lot of old tractors that had been sitting - some inside, some outside.
Almost the first thing I will do, after a quick look over, is grab the fan belt and see if it will turn. Sometimes they will, sometimes they won't.
If it will turn over with the belt, it wont break anything.
If it turns, a couple of tablespoons of MMO is sufficient to lube the top end well enough to start the old thing up again.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

" If it will turn over with the belt, it wont break anything. "

I agree.

Good point, tnx
75 Tips

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

Bruce(VA) and Ultradog offer good advice. I will simply add that there is no 'Mystery' about MMO. It, as well as every other "snake-oil" product out there today is nothing more than 98% plain Mineral Spirits -a substance you get with a can of paint thinner and/or Charcoal Lighter Fluid at Home Depot. I buy in 5 gallon pails at NAPA. You can do your own homework with the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) from the manufacturers. They are all legally required to list them, and see for yourself. Mineral Spirits is an excellent petroleum based cleaner, solvent and it will not harm internal engine or hydraulic system. Note I didn't say MMO doesn't work, it probably does because of the properties. I just prefer to spend my $$$ on the real thing.

Tim Daley(MI)

 

[jimtrs]

All good advice. I'll add:

The valves are under the spark plug holes on these flat head engines. Some of these valves will be open. So when adding oil to the cylinders you will get some through the valves. This oil will end up in either the exhaust or the carburetor. Just be ready for this. It can make a mess. You can try squirting the oil towards the cylinders, rather than straight down through the spark plug holes. This will help some, but chances are that two of the cylinders have their pistons at or near the top of the cylinders. So most oil will run off the pistons to the valves. If the engine is free, before adding oil the second time, you may wanna rotate the engine so all 4 pistons are at the halfway point up and down the cylinders. Do this by rotating the crank 1/4 turn more when any piston is at the top.

 

[Trz]

And if it Doesn’t turn over with the belt, then what?

 

[HarryVanderpool]

(quoted from post at 15:51:49 09/06/20) And if it Doesn t turn over with the belt, then what?

With our 8N and 2N, I prefer to turn the engine over by rotating the PTO output shaft, with the PTO engaged, spark plugs out and transmission in Neutral.
I have a 20" Cresent wrench that I adjust to slip over the pto splines as if they were a bolt.
This is very useful when adjusting the valves.
If the engine will not budge using this technique, something is majorly haywire.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Then read what I posted above.
75 Tips

 

[DoubleO7]

(quoted from post at 09:02:35 09/04/20) Bruce(VA) and Ultradog offer good advice. I will simply add that there is no 'Mystery' about MMO. It, as well as every other "snake-oil" product out there today is nothing more than 98% plain Mineral Spirits -a substance you get with a can of paint thinner and/or Charcoal Lighter Fluid at Home Depot. I buy in 5 gallon pails at NAPA. You can do your own homework with the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) from the manufacturers. They are all legally required to list them, and see for yourself. Mineral Spirits is an excellent petroleum based cleaner, solvent and it will not harm internal engine or hydraulic system. Note I didn't say MMO doesn't work, it probably does because of the properties. I just prefer to spend my $$$ on the real thing.

Tim Daley(MI)

I believe it is more like 25% mineral spirts, and about 75% mineral oil and some additives make up the rest.
Probably carmel coloring is one, LOL.

 

[Royse]

A tablespoon or two is sufficient. Let it soak a few days.
If you add more than that, be aware that some of the valves are open.
It will either go into the carb or the exhaust through the open valves.
In the exhaust it will smoke, but it will burn out.
In the carb, you will likely need to take the carb apart and clean it.
It could probably use that anyway.

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 08:02:35 09/04/20) Bruce(VA) and Ultradog offer good advice. I will simply add that there is no 'Mystery' about MMO. It, as well as every other "snake-oil" product out there today is nothing more than 98% plain Mineral Spirits -a substance you get with a can of paint thinner and/or Charcoal Lighter Fluid at Home Depot. I buy in 5 gallon pails at NAPA. You can do your own homework with the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) from the manufacturers. They are all legally required to list them, and see for yourself. Mineral Spirits is an excellent petroleum based cleaner, solvent and it will not harm internal engine or hydraulic system. Note I didn't say MMO doesn't work, it probably does because of the properties. I just prefer to spend my $$$ on the real thing.

Tim Daley(MI)

Personally I have no use for MMO but chemically and physically it is nothing like charcoal lighter fluid or the odor free mineral spirits you will find in your hardware/paint store. Here is what is generically listed in the ingredients section of the MSDS for MMO along with a full description of what the CAS number identifies.

• [*:6bed5da122]Napthenic Hydrocarbons, CAS Number 64742-52-5 (70%-80% wt) - a light hydrotreated napthenic [b:6bed5da122]lubricating [u:6bed5da122]OIL[/u:6bed5da122][/b:6bed5da122] with a kinematic viscosity no less than 19cP @ 25C[*:6bed5da122] Mineral Spirits, CAS Number 08052-41-3 (20-30% wt) - Type 1 White Spirit, also known as Stoddard Solvent/Varsol/dry cleaning fluid which has a pronounced kerosene odor[*:6bed5da122]Chlorinated Hydrocarbons, CAS Number 00095-50-1 - (<1% wt) - Benzene (specifically C6H4Cl2, 1,2-Dichlorobenzene-D4) which among other things gives the formulation a pronounced sweet aromatic odor.[/list:6bed5da122] In simple English MMO is just a light mineral oil blended with 20-30% mineral spirits to act as a petroleum solvent.
  
  TOH